John Millman will play his ninth Australian Open and the resurgent Jaimee Fourlis her first in five years after the pair were both handed wildcards to the year’s first tennis major.

Former world No.33 Millman, who beat Roger Federer at the 2018 US Open and almost repeated the dose at Melbourne Park 18 months later, drifted out of the world’s top 100 last August and is currently ranked 147.

“I’m extremely grateful to be given the opportunity to play at the Australian Open,” Millman said ahead of this month’s event.

“It’s a special place for me to return to in front of my friends, family and the powerful Aussie crowd. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Fourlis surged back from outside the top 300 last year, winning 50 matches including 12 straight as part of an incredible 24-set streak on her way to three ITF singles titles.

She won on Australian Open main-draw debut as a 17-year-old but then missed 18 months after shoulder surgery in 2020.

“I’m so thankful to Tennis Australia for the opportunity to play in the main draw of my home slam,” the 23-year-old, who made the Australian Open mixed doubles final with Jason Kubler last year, said.

The final wildcards have gone to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima and Wu Yibing of China, both of whom will make their Australian Open main-draw debuts at Melbourne Park.

Australian Open wildcards

Men: John Millman (AUS), Alexei Popyrin (AUS), Jason Kubler (AUS), Rinky Hijikata (AUS), Dominic Thiem (AUT), Christopher Eubanks (US), Luca Van Assche (FRA), Wu Yibing (CHI).

Women: Jaimee Fourlis (AUS), Storm Hunter (AUS), Talia Gibson (AUS), Olivia Gadecki (AUS), Venus Williams (US), Taylor Townsend (US), Diane Parry (FRA), Moyuka Uchijima (JPN).

-AAP